June 19, 2011

The Arts, They Ennoble

Thanks to Anna, who stumbled across this milestone in cultural enrichment, the full 34-minute performance can be endured experienced here. In it, Ms Brown “explores the relationship between music and performance art via self-induced vomiting.” The word explores is of course obligatory and, given the context, entirely devoid of meaning. Unless we’re to believe that the fruits of this alleged mental activity will redefine human knowledge and shake the world when finally, dramatically revealed to the public. On her regurgitation of coloured milk, Ms Brown says this:

The use of canvas is a natural progression from my early performances. I started puking down myself in various outfits, but wanted more longevity from the end result. Canvas allows me the room to experiment with pattern and colour. I have learnt to manipulate the process to produce artwork that I consider separate from the performance that produced it, both are equally important to me.

Now may be a good time to revisit Pwll’s rules of art appreciation. There is, after all, a difference between shock and awe, and a difference between wonderment and tedious disgust. Those who don’t know the difference, or who’ve chosen to forget in the name of transgression, are left with little to do besides screaming at passers-by and begging for attention.

Edward Alan Feldman will be the recipient of a 24-hour hug from his conceptual artist son beginning at 12 a.m. Sunday. “It is meant to be both a healing and transformative experience,” said Brian Feldman. “How often does one have the opportunity to embrace their own father for this period of time? It will likely be the hardest project I have done to date.” […] Brian Feldman was inspired to perform the 24-hour hug by artist Young Sun Han, who hugged a stranger selected through a Craigslist ad in Chicago for 21 hours on Dec. 31, 2008. Han gave Feldman permission to recreate the piece.

Yes, it’s all been done before, several times. A narcissistic art student named Jubal Brown won fleeting notoriety by vomiting dye onto paintings by Mondrian and others. And everything about this latest stunt is even more wearisome. It’s just another nasty little ego shrieking for attention. Even the musical juxtaposition is hackneyed. But someone somewhere will be squinting and contorting in an attempt to see some deep and poignant commentary on consumerism, objectification, artistic practice, etc.

Michael Vaughan, former Yorkshire and England cricketer, also 'makes art' in a similar way by hitting a painty cricket ball against a canvas, and then flogging them off as 'spontaneous' works - equally vapid as the above, but at least he's reasonably honest about his art bollocks, and doesn't charge insane prices, though they're still an utter rip-off, given his actual profession. As an artist who once played cricket, it's plain to see that being famous is far more important than either skill, if you want to rake in the cash...

“As an artist who once played cricket, it’s plain to see that being famous is far more important than either skill, if you want to rake in the cash...”

Fame – or being noticed, even laughed at – is, I think, the key, certainly for people like Ms Brown. And there are lots of people just like her. But maybe some sympathy is in order. After all, what’s a pathological narcissist to do if she has no discernable talent, no reason to be noticed? It’s either crap like this or a career as a serial killer.

The funny thing is, Jubal Brown claimed to have vomited on the Mondrian painting because he found it “'oppressively trite and painfully banal.” Well, I don’t particularly like Mondrian’s paintings, but ostentatiously “transgressive” art became trite and banal much more rapidly than anything it was supposedly protesting against. It became redundant and sad practically overnight. This is partly due to the fact that “transgressive” artists can’t help but keep their own dismal egos in the spotlight. Despite the blather about identity politics and Very Serious Subject Matter, Keith Boadwee can’t bear to take himself out of the picture:

You’d think there’d be a drinking game for art press release bollocks. And given the amount of exploring and interrogating that’s apparently taking place, you’d think these people would by now be announcing their amazing discoveries.

I mean, what exactly does self-induced vomiting tell us about “the relationship between music and performance art”? And how does it do this? And when will the findings be published?

Jesus H Christ...that is utterly repellent and disgusting. Who the f***'s paying these vile, low people to be like that? It couldn't be the State, could it? I shall have to Facbook it, I'm sorry (time to Buzz The Tower.)